Wine Country Times

In late January, Sonoma State University (SSU) received word that as part of NASA’s Science Activation Program and NASA’s Neurodiversity Network (N3) efforts to include neurodivergent individuals in science programs, the university had received $4.96 million, according to a university press release.

To support individuals with autism and help them with the social and technical skills for STEM careers, N3 will use special learning modules and NASA will provide subject-mater experts to act as mentors for participating students.

Over a five-year span, hundreds of high school students who have autism in California and New York City will take part in informal NASA activities, like building and launching rocket payloads and using SSU’s NASA-funded telescope.

“I really got inspired to pursue this opportunity because everywhere I turn there seems to be autism,” said professor Lynn Cominsky, who authored the cooperative agreement application and is also the director of EdEon STEM Learning at SSU – a center meant to inspire students to pursue STEM careers. “NASA has done so much for every other demographic group, but this award is very important because research has shown how autistic learners can be so talented in STEM fields. By introducing students to NASA science, autistic learners will not only gain knowledge for future accomplishments in STEM, but it will also promote growth in their social skills and self-efficacy."

Dan Swearingen was one of Cominsky’s students more than 25 years ago. He and his son (who are both autistic) founded Autistry Studios in Marin County with his wife, Janet Lawson, to help young adults with neurological differences (including autism) to ease their transition to an independent adulthood.

“The staff and students at Autistry are excited about the NASA Neurodiversity Network,” Swearingen said. “This is a fabulous opportunity, and a rare one, for autistic students to explore STEM learning. Dr. Cominsky’s energy and ability to inspire scientific curiosity put me on the path to pursue astrophysics, and I am confident she will give this gift to our students as well.”

One of the schools that is going to participate in the program is the Anova Center for Education in Santa Rosa, California.

“Anova is proud to be a founding partner in the NASA Neurodiversity Network along with Sonoma State University and several other excellent Bay Area schools,” said Andrew Bailey, the founding director of the Anova Center. “Autism can be a valuable type of 'neurological diversity' when the autistic individual is able to participate in the pursuit of happiness unhindered by the disabling roadblocks of a divergent mind. The N3 project is an exciting opportunity for our Anova students and the entire autism community."    

The N3 team also includes Wendy Martin and Ariana Riccio from the nonprofit Education Development Center; Sylvia Perez and Georgette Williams from the New York Hall of Science; and Laura Peticolas, EdEon's associate director. Along with Anova, other Bay Area high schools will also be participating as partners, including Oak Hill School in San Anselmo, Stanbridge Academy in San Mateo and the Orion Academy in Moraga. The internship program that N3 will be implementing was inspired by the successful program at Orion that partners their students with scientists from the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory in STEM-related projects.

To learn more about NASA’s Science Activation Program, visit here.